Don’t Blog For SEO

I surf every day, looking for different types of blogs. If I like them, I either sign up for their RSS feed, or add them to a growing list of sites to check back in on once in awhile.

Of course I also find a bunch of blogs that simply don’t work. So today I thought I’d share 5 Things Not To Do With Your Blog.

1. Don’t blog for SEO. Sure, blogs are wonderful because they do attract more attention on Google and other search engines. But if all of your posts are exclusively written for SEO purposes, they will be a bit, well, boring. Imagine seeing the same title again and again: what would make you want to read any of the posts? If you’re blogging on a regular basis, some posts will be written to attract keywords, and to be well suited for SEO. Use other posts to make your blog exciting, and keep people reading. Overall, if you’re active with your blog, you will attract attention.

2. Add some photos, videos or graphics. Copy is a bad thing when it goes on and on. Because a blog lists multiple posts on your home page, without the break up of graphics and photos, the text seems to run on forever. Graphics give the eye something to focus on. It gives you a reason to want to read.

3. Lots of ads. How about post after post, with an ad in each one? And each ad is for the same thing? Is there any desire to read further and click on an ad? I don’t think so.

4. Lots of blinking, moving, cartoonish graphics moving around the screen. Don’t these graphics give you a headache? I know I move on as quickly as possible when things are blinking at me. If I’m going to read online, I want it to read like a novel. I want to be able to spend the time to understand the reader, and focus on what he or she is saying.

5. Blog all about you. A blog is about your opinions, your thoughts, and your resources. I want to know how you feel about certain subjects, and learn more about your expertise. But I don’t want to hear about your products and services again and again. Use caution when promoting your stuff – people will find out how to work with you when they feel comfortable with you.